Training dogs to retrieve is often a long and difficult task, especially when the trainer is attempting to teach the dog to wait for a command before breaking to retrieve an object. It is common for a trainer to additionally desire to be some distance away from the dog when the command to retrieve is given and to teach the dog to sit patiently until hearing the verbal cue. When working with a dog alone it is often difficult to restrain the animal while teaching it to wait for a signal, especially from some distant location.
Although various remote dog training devices are known in the art, they all have various shortcomings with respect to properly restraining the dog while the dog waits for commands. Exemplary devices known in the art for remote dog training include:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,482 to Gonda discloses an animal training collar and portable transmitter that administers an electric shock via the collar to the animal when activated by the transmitter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,696 to Tobias discloses a dog collar and transmitter unit that when activated allows the trainer to communicate from long distance to the dog via an audible sound. The emitted sound can either be a simple tone or a human voice.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,447 to Kobett discloses a dog collar and transmitter system that detects when the dog is a certain predetermined distance away from the transmitter and emits an unpleasant sound to keep the dog from going any further from its owner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,146 to Kobitz discloses a collar and transmitter in which the collar receives and transmits Global Positioning Data (GPS) to the transmitter. The system has the ability to preset boundary limitations utilizing GPS location technology and when the dog leaves the boundary an electric pulse is administered.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,814,865 to Tracey discloses a collar and handheld transmitter that has the ability to transmit a locating signal from the collar to the transmitter and also transmit a training signal to the collar. The collar has a separate locating device and training device, and both communicate wirelessly to the transmitter.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,671 to Kates discloses a computer aided training and management system that uses a computer to wirelessly communicate with a dog collar and other dog interaction devices such as video monitors, loudspeakers, video cameras, training toys, treat and food dispensers, monitoring devices, and other accessories. This allows the owner to remotely control various activities with and for the dog.
Because each of these known devices has one or more shortcomings (especially in terms of providing a physical restraint while the dog waits for commands), there is still a need in the art for new and improved dog training devices. The present invention fulfills this need and provides for further related advantages.